Dipper excavator.



A. L. GILLA M.

DIPPER EXGAVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 7, 1912.

Wim/5555 g [N VENT OR Allume d y v`HE NORRIS PETERS C0.. PHOTO-LITHU.. WASHINGTON. D. C

f STATES. PATENT Olii-11C ARCHIBALD L.y GILLAivI, or sANnUsKY,Y MICHIGAN.

To all whom it may concern.' y

Be it known thatI, ARCHIBALD L. GIL- LAM, a citizen of the United States, resid-V l'Ihisinvention relates to dipper lexcavators. v s i The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel excavatorofy the dipper type, particularly adapted for dig-v ging ditches or trenches in which sewer pipes, tile, and the like may be laid, whether the ditch or trench is to be straight or curved and wide -or narrow, which may be constructed at relatively small expense, will have few parts and be light, durable, strong, and require but one yman for its operation, whilehaving an excavating capacity several timesjthat of the ordinary trench, ditch,'or other excavator heretofore known to the art.

Another object is vthe provision of a novel excavator whose mechanism is so arranged and constructed that it may bereadily moved from place to place and made ready for operation with the expenditure of a small amount 'of time and labor, and, further, which will be adapted, to koperate on much softer ground than is possible. with other excavators, andkeven to operate onV marshy land or in water as a dredge, on

account ofthe lightness of the machine and theconstruction thereof whereby the entire n dredgingmechanism may swing from side to side through a relatively wide arc. n

A still furtherlobject is to provide an excavator arranged vand constructed in a novel manner whereby it is adapted to retain itself kin position on the ground rather than to tilt, as is the tendency of excavators whose dipper stem extends outwardly from the supporting frame, and which will also be adapted to excavate through a relatively wide range, due to the` position of the excavating mechanism in respectto the manner of support of the frame therefor.

My invention consists, first, of an improved mounting for the swinging part of the excavator frame; second, an improved operating means for swinging the frame; third, improved meansfor supporting the swinging frame from the ground, as will appear fully hereinafter.

InY the accompanying drawings Figure nirriin. nxciivaroii.

1 isa plan view; Fig. v2, an end elevation ;`;-y

Fig, 3, a detail view showing the supporting means and track, l i y The vinain frame 1 of the machine isfof open, substantially 'rectangular form so that s Specfricatonofj Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 15, 1914 Appiication ieaiiovembe 7, i912. seriaino; 729,964.v

the excavating mechanism'can operate cen-y trally thereof and the dipper and its stem pass. yfreely up andy down through the frame tol excavatebeneath it. r` The frameis suitably braced by crossed; braces atits `end parts which are locatedabove the trucks 2 and 3 having ordinary traction wheels 4:, pro-` viding means whereby themachine is supported only at its ends and may be moved from place to place` as the work progresses,

`or for beginning another excavation., s

The excavating ymechanism is carried by the frame kI do lnot restrict myself to any special excavating ymechanism provided it is carried by frame l and is adapted to operate beneath said frame, and I have only shown so much of excavating mechanismy as will give a clear understanding. of the operation of myinvention. kIivoted tov op positeysides of frame 1 .at 5 `are a pair of upwardly converging rockers 6; pivoted at 7 to frame 1 are an upwardly converging pairof rockersr 8. The rockersi yand 8 are pivctedy at 9 andl 10 toa dipper stem 11 whichhas a dipper 12 which is raised and lisoperated by a power cable 18 running yover a sheave 14 rcarried by any upwardly extending arm 15 supported by frame land is` operated by` any suitable drum 16 driven byany suitable motor.y Under the control ofthe cable 13,l the excavating dipper 12 passesy up and down through the open frame 1, moving on the rockers 6 and 8 as its supports and moving at all times in the same vertical plane which includes the stem' 11. When the frame 1 is stationary, a straight ditch or trench can be dug by the dipper 12. Suitable chains 17, 18 and 19 ycoperate withy the rockers 6 and 8 toylimit their movements.

The digging mechanism` shown and de-y scribed is the same as that set forthini` Thev frame 1 is at yone end `pivotallyA mounted on a king bolt 20. Thebolstery 21y rof the other end of the frame carries a rigid arc-shaped support 22 which consists ythis or. any other digf` of a center rack 23 and tracks 24 anking said rack. The support 22 conforms Vto the arc of a circle whose center is the king bolt 20. Carried by the lswinging end of frame 1 is a pinion 25 which meshes with the rack 23 and tends to prevent lateral shifting, eX-

cept when purposely moved, of the frame 1.

Carried by the frame 1 are pairs of supporting wheels 26,y 27 which travel on the tracks 24 and perform the two-fold function of supporting the frame and of `relieving the king bolt 2O of strain due to the operation of the dipper'12 when excavating.

Secured to the bolster 21 are cables 28 and 29 which run over idler sheaves 30, 31 on the support 22 and thence over sheaves 32, 33 on the arm 15, from which they passV Y `intermediate the points lof support of the frame 1. I find it advantageous when the frame r1 is swung rather far to one vside or the other, to support it in order to relieve the support 22 of undue strain, and I, therefore, prefer to provide rlegs or braces 35 pivoted at 36 and provided with feet 37 which may be let down and rest upon the ground. Any suitable means such as a spring clip or other fastener 3S may be provided on frame -1 for holding the legs in raised position when they are not needed.

Supported by the frame 1 is a double inf clined chute 39 whose apex 'is disposed belovv1 the centerof the dipper 12 when the lat ter is in discharging position and, consequently, the materialcontained in the dipper discharges by gravity down said chute in a divided stream and may be carried off to any desired point or loaded into any receptacle.

Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, if the frame 1 be retained in that position and the excavating mechanism 6, 8, 11, 12, 13 be operated, it will work up and down through the frame 1 4and dig a straight ditch, the dipper rising after each cut and discharging the contents on the chute. The machine may be advanced to continue the digging of a straight trench. If, however, it is desired to dig the ditch or trench on a curve, the cables 28 and 29 will be operated to sufiiciently move the frame 1 to cause the dipper to dig the ditch on the curve. VIf a ditch wider than the dipper 12 is to be dug, the cables will be operated to swing the frame 1 to one side or the other as may be desired. If it is desired to eXcavate a relatively wide stretch, the frame lis shifted by the cables to cause it to move to any desired lateral position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Inan excavator, the combination with supporting means, of a frame supported by said supporting 4means and pivotally mounted, a stationary arc-shaped support carried by'oneof the supporting'mean's and adapted to support the swinging part of the frame, sheaves carried by said arc-shaped support, operating means carried by the swinging frame, cables connected to the supporting means and running over the sheaves aforesaid and adapted yto ybe taken up or let out by the operating means aforesaid, vand eX- cavating mechanism carried by the swinging frame. o

2. In an excavator, the combination with supporting means, of a frame pivotally mounted on one of said lsupporting "means, an arc-sha`ped support carried by the remaining one of thesupporting means and provided with 4a rack on its upper face, a pinion carried by the swinging frame which meshes with the rack, lpairs of supporting wheels carried by the swinging frame and bearing on the upper face of the arc-shaped supporton opposite'sides of the rack, means for swinging the pivoted frame aforesaid, and excavating mechanism carried byv the swinging frame.

3. In an'excavator, the combination with a swingingly mounted and supported frame, of 'excavating mechanism carried `thereby adapted :tooperate below the frame and intermediate the points of support thereof, and legs lor braces carried by the swinging frame 4andadapted to be let down to engage the ground.

1l. In an excavator, the combination with supporting means, of other. supporting means provided with an arc-shaped support, a swinging frame pivoted to the firstnamed supporting means and mounted upon the arc-shaped support, and legs or bracescarried by the swinging frame and adapted to belet down to engage the ground.

In testimony whereof, I hereuntoaiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARCHIBALD L. GILLAM.

Witnesses:

SHINN, S. V. 'Lookwoon Copies "of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, iD.` C. 

